Local news for local people
Getting to the other side safely
December 12, 2024
Edwin Lawrence said "Bridges are built not to cross over it but [are] built to lift you to the other side safely."
The bridge across the Fish River at O'Connell is the only way to get across the river without a long detour. There is no cycleway or pedestrian pathway so cyclists and pedestrians have no option but to share the road with cars and trucks. The bridge is at the bottom of a 1.3 kilometre descent on the Bathurst side with poor visibility approaching the bridge so motorists can arrive at 80 kilometres an hour and not see what's on the bridge until it's too late to avoid an accident.
Of particular concern is the fact that the bridge separates O'Connell Public School from the rest of O'Connell. Students who walk or cycle to and from school are at risk when crossing the river and also when going to Hassall Park where they have field work lessons on the ecology of the Fish River.
So a footbridge is needed. Nobody seems to know why one wasn't included when the bridge was built in 1984, but that's planning and budgeting for you. And something is being done, although it took some time to get around to starting.
A group including the then Minister for Regional
Roads Sam Farraway and then Deputy Premier Paul Toole
at the
announcement of the project. That was only October 2022, so there's
no rush.
Geotechnical investigations began on December 4 to help with the design of the footbridge. O'Connell Road had to be closed overnight to allow a drilling barge to be lowered into the Fish River, with the expectation that drilling would start almost immediately.
The barge waiting to start work on December 6.
Then it rained and nobody
was going to be doing any work in a
flooded Fish River for a couple of days.
Everyone was back at work after the flood waters subsided, and Oberon Matters climbed down the bank for a look.
You can't keep a good politician down, and Paul Toole was back to celebrate the commencement of work. It's only been two-and-a-bit years.
Photo supplied
Yes, it's been a long time coming and the footbridge will almost certainly cost more than the original bridge construction, but the students at the school, hikers and cyclists will finally be able to get across the river in safety.
Here's a media release from Transport for NSW.
Barge on the river as planning for O'Connell Road pedestrian bridge takes the next step
A 10-tonne barge will be lowered into the Fish River near
O'Connell as planning for a new pedestrian bridge across the
waterway moves to the next stage.
Transport for NSW has committed to improving safety and access in the area by designing and building a new bridge along O'Connell Road to separate pedestrians and cyclists from other road users crossing the Fish River.
As part of the planning, Transport is carrying out geotechnical investigations by drilling boreholes into the riverbank and riverbed to better inform the detailed design process.
"Crews have started investigations by drilling two boreholes into land near both ends of the existing O'Connell Road bridge and that work is being done from land," Transport for NSW Acting Regional Director West Holly Davies said.
"Three additional boreholes will be drilled into the riverbed in line with the piers of the existing O'Connell Road bridge, meaning the drill rig will need to be attached to a barge that will be lowered into the river from a 60-tonne crane to be set up on the existing bridge.
"This work will require the full closure of O'Connell Road on the night of Wednesday 4 December when the barge is lowered into place, and another night-time closure the following week when the crane is brought back to site to lift the barge out again, with that date to be determined by the speed of drilling progress.
"During the full road closure detours will be in place for light vehicles via The Lagoon, Orton Park and Kelso using O'Connell Plains Road, Lagoon Road, Vale Road, the Great Western Highway and O'Connell Road adding an extra 40 minutes.
"For heavy vehicles a detour will be in place via Oberon and Lithgow using Duckmaloi Road, Jenolan Caves Road and the Great Western Highway, adding an extra two hours to travel times.
"We understand this is an inconvenience, but the investigation work is a vital step towards delivering the dedicated pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Fish River that the O'Connell community has long been calling for."
Some early work, including tree trimming and bank clearing, has already been completed at the site.
"O'Connell is a popular village destination for many locals and tourists to the Central West who come to visit the coffee shop and pub, it is also a popular destination for cyclists who have had to share the existing O'Connell Road bridge with cars, buses and B-double logging trucks," Ms Davies said.
"Young children on their way to and from nearby O'Connell Public School are also forced to walk along the edge of the road just metres from traffic.
"A new dedicated bridge for cyclists and pedestrians will provide the safest option for all road users crossing the Fish River."
The existing concrete bridge across the Fish River on O'Connell Road opened to traffic in 1984 with no shoulder or path for pedestrians and cyclists.
The O'Connell Public School community first raised the need for a new pedestrian bridge to ensure students did not have to walk in travel lanes across the bridge or make the crossing through the river.
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